The Gentle Art Sampler Threads, Sable #110 comparison!

Well LOOKIE here.  I found a very old skein from 2007 that was in tact in a project I had kitted up. I knew I wasn't crazy.  Just look at the difference in the color of these two skeins. The old one is SO richly variegated, and the new has NO variegation whatsoever.

I gotta say, I was shocked! They are not even the same shade of brown at all. How does this happen? Does the original recipe get lost? Is someone falling down on the job? I just don't know. But at least I know I'm not losing it, and my eyesight has not completely failed me.

I have even noticed some big color differences in DMC over the years. I did a rant post on this some time last year. These big changes can really affect the outcome of  project. The designer spent so much time putting together these colors and when we can't count on the continuity of the floss colors, our stitching won't match the vision we had when we bought the project in the first place.  I know, realistically, there isn't anything we can do about it, but it is disappointing to have to scramble to find something similar to make the stitching work out.

Anyway, I thought someone might be interested in how these two compare! So beware when you are floss shopping!
 

Getting there with Spring Hare

I forged ahead with Spring Hare and let cooler heads prevail. I did not trash him and instead, did my due diligence and found the exact place the error occurred (yay me!), frogged it out and re-stitched him! Everything is great now, and he's looking very dapper thus far.

Don't know what I'll do with his flower bouquet just yet. Maybe stitch it in another color, as I have seen some others do. And I am going to order the Classic Colorworks Bramble Bush for the letters on this. It's really a wonderful variegated brown/caramel color that I think will do great.

And because I don't want to pay shipping on one skein of floss, I was thinking about getting this, from Needlework Press.

OMGoodness. I am not normally a "sampler gal". I know there are many of you out there, and I love them, but don't usually stitch them. Some of them seem too fussy or too old timey, but this one just speaks to me! I've seen some photos of stitches in progress, and it is just gorgeous!!!  So, just maybe....

I was looking through some old photos to find a specific one of my sister and I on Easter, many moons ago and I came across a wonderful photo of Jim, my stepfather, that I hadn't see for many years. I didn't remember it at all. It was as if he was telling me "Hi there Tam!", which he actually WAS doing when I took the pic way back in 2006 or so. I felt fortunate to find it and it helped me to be present and enjoy the day ahead, regardless of all the changes that have taken place. It's what he would have done, after all.

Easter weather here was gorgeous and mild. A perfect Spring day, really! Had a nice time with family and made it back with 5 minutes to spare to get ready for Game of Thrones. I can't believe there are only four episodes left.  It's been one of my favorite series I've ever watched. If you've not seen it, I highly recommend!

Until next time,

VENT ahead, so beware!

Well, I'm not happy. First of all, my mom saw the project. Do not give your phone to your mother and tell her to just "keep swiping" to view some pics from the weekend. Just a tip for all you kids out there. UGH!

Secondly, the stitch count on my project, La D Da's Spring Hare, was off somehow. It took me forever for figure out where it is, (I'm missing some rows on the right side at the back of his coat) and I'm so mad! I will most likely abandon the project and start over. (Wow, does that sound familiar or WHAT?!)

Thirdly, how was I supposed to end up with the beautiful color variations on the alphabet, shown here in the model:

....with THIS floss?

Indoor pic

Outdoor pic

I don't exactly have a LNS close to me, so I just ordered this online, and the entire thing looks like it's the same all over. I know that some overdyeds are more pronounced, but this doesn't look anything at all like the model. I found another example online where someone used Bramble instead of Sable, and her results were great. I wish I'd found that sooner!

This is not my stitchy week. I think I'll try and take a crochet break for a couple days and come back to it. Maybe I'll just eyeball some floss at The Salty Yarn, when we go on vacation, and come back with something more suitable and it'll be a birthday gift instead of a Mom's Day gift. Until next time,

Mystery Project, A Birthday, etc.

I have started a new project for my Mom. She knows it's coming, but doesn't know what it is. So here's a sneak peek just in case she pops on the blog, she won't know. Heee!

You might be able to figure it out, but keep it a secret! It's going pretty fast and I'm loving it. Quite honestly, I'm so happy to be continually stitching again. I have made a great effort to do so and it's wonderful. I continue to do some other things, but right now, my stitching is front and center. I'm working up to designing a bit more. I have lots of ideas and just need to make the time to sit and do it.

My son's girlfriend's birthday was yesterday and we celebrated her day officially last Sunday. She requested the Flourless Chocolate Cloud Cake (mentioned in a previous post) and I gladly obliged!

We went for a YUMMY lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in Richmond and had the best Italian food ever. We had a really nice time with the kids. These two are my life. Along with my hubs and this little girl right here.

Well, that's all the updates for now. I hope everyone is having a great week and getting lots of stitching in! Until next time!

She is DONE!

I finally finished her! I think it came out great. I redesigned the pup to my match my sweet little Jenny, and I added a heart inside the quaker motif with her initials below it in teeny tiny backstitching. Speaking of which, I backstitched the pup in a really light beige, which makes her pop off the fabric a bit more. This is probably one of my favorite things I've stitched so far in my life.

SO CUTE! I can't even stand that doggie-it's too much!

And here is some stash I left out of my previous post. Some of the stash I've recently acquired have been things I'd been on the hunt for, for literally years! That La D Da pony? Yeah, that took years.  But he is mine now!

Well, that's it for now! I'm so happy I have another finish! I think the next thing I work on may be a Mother's Day gift for, oh, I don't know.....a special mom I might know of. I doubt I'll have time to finish the framing by Mother's Day, but that's OK!

Have a great week everyone and I hope you get lots of stitching time in!  Until then,

Dog conversion update, Woodlawn, Stash

March is winding down already?!!! How did that happen? My doggie redesign went very well. It's lighter than I wanted but being as this was the second time I've stitched this one, I wasn't eager for a third go 'round. I think she's looking exactly like my little girl Jenny!

This cracks me up every time I look at it.  It's adorable, if I do say so myself! Very fun to do also.

I have some new stash to show off also!!!  Some is from my facebook group or ebay, and some of the new ones are from Woodlawn, when Mom and I went to In Stitches.

 

 
Some of these I have been looking for for year! Some of them I owned previously and sold, but missed them, lol.  You've had that happen, right?  It cannot be just me!

Just realized I missed a couple, but I'll add them in next post!

Here are a few Woodlawn/In Stitches purchases-boy, I was quite reserved this year.  Not much at all. Following as well, are a few photos from the show.

I NEED this design!

Absolutely stunning work here

 

My mom and I had a lovely time.  We got there around 11am, and I was so happy to have seen an old friend who used to own the Everything Cross Stitch in Fredericksburg.  It is closed now, and I miss that shop so much!  We then went to shop the In Stitches store and went out to Carlos O'Kelly's mexican for lunch.  Pretty much a perfect day.  For the previous two weeks, everyone in my house, including me, had been struggling with the flu, so this was a really nice change!

Haven't cooked anything new since the cake, so nothing to show there--been way too sick! I cannot wait for warmer weather and crickets and frogs songs, and more sunlight in the day.   We are getting there, slowly but surely!  Until next time, friends.....

Stitchy update and CAKE!

Three weeks gone and here is my progress on Goodflorastitchwort's Oh the Miles!

Doesn't look like much from last time, right? Wellllllllll, I STITCHED THE WHOLE DANG THING OVER AGAIN and now I'm a good bit beyond where I initially left offf when the "incident" happened. Yay, me. LOL. My other piece didn't fare too well with the washing, etc. Oh well, lesson learned!

Now to share one of the most wonderful recipes I've ever made. It's called Chocolate Cloud Cake by late author/cook, Richard Sax. My boss made this for our annual holiday meeting at her house and we were all amazed. It's flourless! I'd never made my own whipped cream either and it was so fun!

It's almost better after a night of refrigeration. So make this recipe and impress your family and friends! It worked for me!

I have been so excited to see all the new and fun things coming out at The Nashville Needlework Market. I know of at least 10 things I HAVE to have. I'm sure you have too!  My mom and I will be making a date to go to Woodlawn Plantation for the needlework show, and afterward we always hit up the local shop, In Stitches. Such a fun time!

Enjoy your upcoming week and I hope everyone is getting lots of stitchy time in.